The poll to elect the new council in Middlesbrough is being hailed as the most interesting for years.

Traditionally Labour has held control in the council chamber in Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Challenges are again being mounted by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in next Thursday's election.

But it is the strength of numbers of candidates standing under an independent banner which is a feature of the election.

No fewer than 30 candidates with an independent tag are seeking a seat in the election - including 15 standing as Middlesbrough Independents, the group spearheaded by former council leader Councillor Ken Walker.

While much of the attention next Thursday will focus on the poll to choose the elected Mayor of Middlesbrough for the next four years, the outcome of the battles for the 48 councillor seats will also be keenly anticipated.

A total of 112 candidates are bidding to become councillors.

Labour has campaigned under its manifesto banner of Hope, Progress, and Ambition in its bid to remain the majority party in the Town Hall.

The Conservatives will be aiming to build on their areas of support such as Kader and Marton West Wards.

And the Liberal Democrats will be seeking to extend the areas where they have held sway in the past such as in the Marton and Park Wards.

The biggest field is in Coulby Newham where nine candidates are standing in a three seat contest. The three Labour councillors are all seeking re-election but face opposition from two Conservatives, a Liberal Democrat and three Middlesbrough independents.

The proposed large scale demolition of properties has been to the fore in the campaign in the three-seat Gresham Ward where Labour's candidates of Tony Bishop, Javed Ismail and Sajaad Khan confront the Middlesbrough Independents' line-up of Peter Birt, Cath Rozevski and Ken Walker.

The two seats being contested in the Nunthorpe Ward are also set to generate a lot of interest.

The two sitting councillors - Peter Sanderson and Brenda Thompson - were both elected four years ago under the Conservative banner. Both have switched to be independents in recent months. They are facing opposition from Caroline Fletcher and John Hobson for the Conservatives, Labour's Martin Booth, and Andrew Earnshaw and Jackie Simmonds for the Liberal Democrats.

Three Middlesbrough councillors will definitely not be returning to their seats in the Town hall.

Long-serving Labour councillors John Jones and Chris Robson, both of whom are former Mayors of the borough, are retiring, as well as Conservative councillor Liz Ward.

Polling stations throughout the borough will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday for voters to make their choices.

There will also be a change of venue this year for the counting of the votes and declaration of the results. The Rainbow Centre at Coulby Newham will be the scene of election victories and disappointment for the candidates into the early hours of Friday morning.